Return To Me
by I.Plead.Ignorance
Summary: Sasuke is left to take care of his two children while his wife, Sakura, has been declared MIA for a little over a month. Sasuke gives his children hope while his own dwindles every day she's not with him. A one-shot or, perhaps a double


The Claimed

**So I absolutely despise the story I created a while ago that's supposed to be what this current story is based from. The Claiming of Sakura Haruno. Don't read it if you don't want to, I know I don't want to go through that pain either, this can stand alone.**

Life was different, for all of the rookie nine plus team Gai. Shinobi life never lessened over the years, there was still the Akatsuki to pursue and other enemies popping out of the woodwork whenever there seemed to be too long of a lull between missions, but as for personal life, things have dramatically changed.

"Uchiha Yuki you get back here with your brother's kunai immediately!" Sasuke yelled from across the vast yard where a five year old girl was running around waving the kunai to invisible enemy nin. Her dark purple hair was put in spiky pigtails while her bright green eyes shone with glee as she made another noise of an enemy falling before her mighty skills. She ignored his demands purposefully, she wanted daddy to come and chase her and to her childish joy, he did.

Sasuke smiled as he ran after his little girl who squealed and ran wherever she could but eventually she tired and her daddy scooped her up in his arms and spun around where she joined in his laughter with her own.

Sasuke touched his nose to her petite one and affectionately kissed her on the cheek, "What are we going to do with you Yuki-chan? Maybe I'll ground you for deliberately disobeying me?"

The little girl made a stubborn face, "But otosan! I didn't get hurt!"

"Your mom will probably agree with me." Sasuke teased, pretending not to hear his daughter's protests.

"See, not one owie!" Yuki defended. Sasuke bit back a smile, she definitely had her mother's stubbornness.

"Okay I'll let you off this one time." He set his girl down and winked, "It'll be our secret, no need for Okasan to find out right?"

The girl exuberantly nodded her head and ran into the house yelling for her older brother, "Toru-kun!"

Sasuke smiled as he leisurely made his way indoors. He faintly heard the laughter of both children and took a seat across the fireplace. He studied the pictures taking up the entire mantle and felt such peace and happiness that he wanted to jump up and yell in joy…but he was an Uchiha and he wouldn't do that. His eyes landed on a beautiful picture of he and Sakura on their wedding day, her kimono was exquisite on her lithe form. The intricate work shown in every beautiful stitch was quite amazing but she could've come wearing nothing but sweats and she would've been the most beautiful woman this world has ever seen.

He sighed as a sudden bout of anxiousness assaulted his being. It has been a month since her squad went missing in search of a newly initiated Akatsuki member. Her ANBU squad was one of the best in Konoha and never, since its forming after the war, failed a mission and never failed to keep to the communication deadlines. He didn't want to worry the children as every night they would ask for their Okasan and he could only reply that she may comeback tomorrow with gifts for them and that was reason enough for them to fall into a peaceful slumber.

But he, himself hadn't slept well the two months she'd been away. He'd toss and turn while his mind worked over time about the possible scenarios that would befall his precious cherry blossom.

_She's strong, she can handle herself._ Was his usual mantra but as every day progressed with no word, the mantra slowly began to loose its meaning until the words of comfort became nothing more than a mockery to his being.

He felt a tug on his pants leg and looked down to see his son with his disarrayed mess of pink locks and dark blue eyes.

"Is mom okay?" The son knew the answer his father would give him, and because of that Sasuke was tempted to lie to comfort his son like he did his daughter, but at the age of seven and a prodigy, he knew better.

"I don't know Toru."

"Are you worried?"

"Very much so."

Toru wrapped his arms around his father's waist and buried his head into Sasuke's side, "It's okay dad, I am too." The small child whispered and all Sasuke could do was grip his son's arms to show that he acknowledged the sentiment and appreciated it.

The son pulled away and said with a confident voice, "Mom's strong, she'll come back I know she will."

"You've been hanging around Uzamaki far too long Toru."

The boy laughed at his father's jibe but quickly retorted, "And you haven't been hanging around his dad too much." He took hold of his father's hand and led him into another room, the kitchen was a disaster. Dirty dishes were stacked around and in the sink, toys were scattered on and under the dinning table and Sasuke frowned.

Noticing his father's moodiness, Toru looked up at his dad,

"How about we clean so when mom gets home she wouldn't have to?"

Rubbing his son's hair he smiled, "Yeah, how about you get your sister to pick up the toys and we tackle the dishes?"

Nodding his head, he ran off towards his sister's favorite play-place, their mother's closet and he held back some tears. His dad was probably thinking mom is dead or dying, and he had to keep his dad's spirit's up because if he didn't then he would be sad too.

Toru heard a delightful squeal of Yuki's as she, no doubt, found her favorite thing of mama's. Softly smiling, he found his sister wearing their mom's old gennin outfit and she looked adorable as the get-up swallowed her up three times over.

"Nisan!" She threw herself at her older brother, "Is mama home yet?"

"No not yet, but we want to surprise her when she gets back, do you want to help dad and I?"

"Let's do it!"

* * *

Naruto Uzamaki loved and hated his job. He was finally hokage, he won over the majority of the populace's admiration and respect, he had a damn fine salary and he could easily get in on any swanky restaurant in town without a reservation. He hated, however; the monotony of paperwork, dealing with the council of elders and their bullshit politics and most importantly, he couldn't go on any missions, which ticked him off greatly. The responsibilities were no less daunting and that distinctive area between duty and love were hard to learn. Sometimes the line blurred between being emotionally involved with those he would send off possibly to their deaths but in the end, he had to be the bastard and assign those most suitable for the job. In the end, most have come back but the few who didn't…

_Sakura…_

It panged his heart when they never returned and he couldn't do a damn thing about it but submit the papers for their names to be engraved in that horrid stone.

Angrily he threw a neat stack of signed papers to the ground. If there was one thing about him that would never change, it would be the dear love he held for Sakura. It surpassed anything beyond normal friendship and he cherished it whenever around her. She was the beacon of hope for everyone including himself and damnit all to fucking hell that he was the bastard who sent her on that fucking mission where she could be lying somewhere in a fucking ditch dying, or worse…

He stiffened when the room's atmosphere shifted and he growled out at the young chunin, "This better be good Nara."

"An ANBU team was spotted south of the border a few hours ago, they match the descriptions of my father's team and if I may go home and tell my mother…?"

"Yes, go." He didn't give a damn at the moment what that chuunin wanted to do, Sakura was back! The dark burden his heart was carrying suddenly lifted as Naruto experienced hope for the first time in a month. His best friend was back, she wasn't dead and he was looking forward to seeing her, grimy mess and everything.

"Kakashi-sensei." He never stopped using that suffix though he was of a higher pier than his teacher, it just felt weird saying anything else.

"Yo."

"They're back."

"I know," He dropped down from his perch, "My wife took care of their safe passages through our country, her hidden village personally escorted them."

"Did she ever tell you their conditions?"

"She didn't have time to elaborate, apparently Rain wants to declare war on us and she's been trying to avoid any political confrontation that would put us at fault, although harboring enemies of Rain was counter-productive." He gave his sheepish grin, "But knowing Sakura as we do they'll all return breathing…"

"Knowing her" He grimly acknowledged but the unspoken thought accompanied those two words in each of their minds: knowing her, they would be in better health while she's on the brink…

"If she dies…Sasuke will kill me,"

"I believe a lot of people would" Kakashi nodded sagely.

Naruto let out a derisive snort, "Gee thanks, your words of comfort have put me so at ease, I don't know why I was worrying in the first place."

The only answer he received was his sensei pulling out his tattered orange book and making a few nonsensical noises and he rolled his eyes, some things truly never change.

* * *

**So i know i haven't updated in forever nor have I done anything with my other stories and I'm terribly sorry, College is fairly hectic and karate is no less daunting a task, especially when learning a few basic Sai Katas. I may end the story here or make it a double-shot.**


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